Apostasy: is A Political Judgment and Islamic Extremism Distort Islam By: Adeeb Yousif

Islam is a religion of tolerance, respect, love, peace, peaceful coexistence, morality, moral value and acceptance of others. The Prophet Mohammed said: "I was sent to complete the best of morals." Islam also hinges on good manners and an invitation to join it should be based on wisdom and good counsel and in soft way. God said:

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best ”—16:125 An-Nahl

Unfortunately in some parts of the world this is not a reality. The actually reality is that Islamic extremism have been using the religion as tools to achieve their political agenda either by generating or escalating conflict or both. In April 2014, the world witnessed a savage incident from Boko Haram in northern Nigeria who abducted 200 young girls from their school and forced them to convert to Islam. This brutal incident can be described as a crime against African values, against humanity and above all against Islamic principles. All of these acts are as such against God’s will. He has the ability and the capacity to make all human beings believe in one religion but for reasons only God knows, he made us believe in different religions and gave us the choice in so doing. In his infinite wisdom God said:

“ And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ .

Islam has ensured individual freedom of religious expressions and beliefs and it has been clearly mentioned in verses for those don’t want to believe in Islam that they can believe in whatever they think is a religion for them.

“For you is your religion, and for me is my religion ." —109:6 Al-Kafirun

In May 15 2014, a Sudanese court sentenced Mariam Yahya Ibrahim to death by hanging after she renounced Islam and married a Christian man. Mariam confirmed to the court that her father was Muslim but she grew up with her Christian mother after her father divorced her. Christianity as such was her religion from day one and she was never a Muslim. At her court testimony Mariam said: "I am a Christian, not apostasy at all”. The judge also issued a ruling that will flog Mariam 27 years of age and 8 month pregnant, 100 lashes for adultery according to Islamic law . I think Killing of people because they renounce Islam or apostasy is a crime against humanity as it:
1. Against the Holy Quran God words.
2. Against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International conventions and,
3. Against Interim National Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan 2005,

1. Holy Quran
The Judgment on human beings because they apostasy by "killing the person” does not exist in the Holy Quran neither it was mentioned in any of its verses. Rather the many verses of the Holy Quran are against this judgment of apostasy. As mentioned above in the introduction, the soul of the Holy Quran is counter-judgment Islam does ensure the freedom of belief of the human being. It came in perfect clarity in the Holy Quran. No one may be compelled to leave his religion and convert to another religion. A freedom of right to choose his/her religion is based on belief. Hence it was confirmed that the Quran confirmed unequivocal in saying "And say the truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve". Conviction is the basis of belief: the real credo is based on persuasion and uncertainty, and not just on tradition or coercion. Every individual is free to believe in what he wants for himself and takes the ideas of what he/she wants
The following are some of these verses God said:

• There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. . —Al-Baqarah 2:256
• And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve . —Al-Kahf -18:29
• And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers” — Yunus 10:99
• He said, "O my people have you considered: if I should be upon clear evidence from my Lord while He has given me mercy from Himself but it has been made unapparent to you, should we force it upon you while you are averse to it ” — Hud 11:28
• “You are not over them a controller”—Al-Ghashiyah 8:22

2. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The United Nations has recognized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted in 1948 as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1966. Within the international documents and declarations, they stress the importance of the freedom of religion or belief. Therefore according to The United Nations documents, the right to freedom of religion or belief in the framework of the human rights system means the freedom of the individual to profess what he/she wants from the ideas of religious or non-religious.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance . —Article 18 UDHR

3. The Interim National Constitution of the Republic of the Sudan
Secular Muslims and many others believe that freedom of religion is still the subject of criminalization, whether by the Islamic regime or by the society which is loyal to the regime. Not all of these are Islamic extremism but includes different sects within Islam. Freedom of religion is one of the issues that has been, provided for in the constitution that legalizes a person to embrace what he wants - Islam, Christianity or other African traditional belief. Freedom of religion is a matter of personal belief, provided no harm public order or the freedoms of others.
Concerning “Religious Rights”, it is clearly stated “The State shall respect the religious right to:
1. “Worship or assemble in connection with any religion or belief and to establish and maintain places for these purposes ” — Sudan constitution 6-A
2. “Communicate with individuals and communities in matters of religion and belief at national and international levels ” —Sudan constitution 6-I.

History Repeats Itself
Islamic extremism has been using such judgment to get rid of political opponents “sentenced to death for apostasy”. It happens in Sudan before. It was the same ideology of the Muslim brotherhood regardless of the variety of names: The Front of the Charter, National Islamic Front or the National Congress Party (NCP). Still the ideology is the same. Imposing an Arab-Islamic identity on multi-religious, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural population of Sudan. Both Arabs and non-Arab Sudanese have resisted the new phenomenon, and the government has been responding to this resistance through violence. Since the phenomena of the politicization of Islam was officially adopted in Sudan in September 1983. And with it Islam becoming the main source of legislation in the Sudanese constitution, Sudan has never known peace . Immediately after imposing sharia law, a civil war started in South Sudan; which only ended by the division of Sudan into two independent countries; Sudan and South Sudan.

In May 1983, the Republican brothers the group supporting Mahmoud Mohmed Taha published a book titled “Religious Mania is Sedition to Power”, which heavily criticized the First Vice-President and Chief Security Omar El-Tayeb for allowing groups obsessed with the politicizing Islam . They argued that suspects outside the country were able to manipulate events inside the country, exploit the media, and open the door to the religious strife, carnage and devastation. This resulted in the arrest of Mr. Taha, and a number of Republicans until laws were passed in September 1983. Mr. Taha and his disciples from within the jail were still able to influence those outside, so Nimeiri escalated events to declare a state of emergency. He also established the Courts of Decisive Justice in 1984, which allowed for the random beating, execution, torture and flogging in the street of anyone who disagreed with him.

Nimeiri then went on to kill a revered religious leader Mahmoud Mohamed Taha , who was viewed as the “Gandhi of Sudan”. Mr. Taha, who was opposed to the September laws, described this as a “humiliation to the people of Sudan”. On the day that Mr. Taha was sentenced said the following:
“I have repeatedly declared my view that the September 1983 laws violate Islamic Sharia ‘a law and Islam itself. Moreover these laws have distorted Islam Sharia ‘a law, and made it repugnant. Furthermore these laws were enacted and utilized to terrorize the people, and humiliate them in to submission. These laws also jeopardized the national unity of the country. These are my objection to these laws at the theoretical level. At the practical level, however the judges enforcing these laws they lack technically qualifications. They have also morally failed to resist placing themselves under the control exploited them in violating authorities which the rights of citizens, humiliating the people, destroying Islam, insulting intellect and intellectuals and humiliating political opponents ”.
— Taha's court statement

I think the perceptions of the Islamic extremism in particularly their images and attitudes towards the other religions and even ordinary Muslims. The Islamic extremism has the belief that others including people of the book are less valuable than their group, and that they are plotting their destruction, or that they generally are a danger to them. The Islamic extremism differentiated and categorized ordinary Muslims as good Muslims, bad ones, and infidels. Their ideology is based on hatred, war and reject the other. This generates conflict. It is therefor the remaining parts of Sudan are still experiencing deadly conflicts and political instability in especially in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile


Conclusion
Since more than sixty -six years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights boldly calls for full equality between all members of the human family and explained that human dignity is embedded. These included the guiding vision of equality for all, the right of to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, emotional; describing it as fundamental rights unquestionable. But despite the international community's unanimous adoption of this declaration and classification of materials within the channels of international law and its own legislation, the world is still witnessing continued intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. As evidenced by the spread of the manifestations of violence in the name of religion, and even manipulation of religion for the sake of political ideology, and the growing tensions between religion and state policies. This has fueled the rising tide of religious extremism, threatening security and human development in many countries, as well as the efforts for peace. The widespread abuse of this right, which often targets women such as Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, sentenced to death for apostasy or the 200 young girls Boko Haram have abducted from their school to convert to Islam. This type of behavior tarnishes Islam and alienates people from Islam. In the end, people end up knowing nothing about the good side of Islam, which is a religion of tolerance, forgiveness, love, tolerance, coexistence, non-violence, compassion, justice and morality.








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Adeeb Yousif is, PhD researcher in the program of the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR) at George Mason University, he may be reached at: [email protected]




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